Injured mariner medivaced from Palmyra Atoll

HONOLULU – An injured mariner has been medivaced by a U.S. Coast Guard C-130 crew near Palmyra Atoll Tuesday.

After receiving a head injury aboard the sailing vessel Makalli, the captain was able to navigate toward Palmyra Atoll. Palmyra Atoll is located approximately midway between American Samoa and Hawaii. He then contacted Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge by VHF marine band radio channel 16 and activated an electronic position indicating radio beacon.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. a 25-foot. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service vessel was able to rendezvous with the sailing vessel. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crewmember took control of the vessel while a second crewmember began administering first aid. The vessel was safely moored and the injured man was brought to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service medical office where additional first aid treatment was given.

A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 crew out of Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point arrived on scene at approximately 6 p.m. in response to the electronic position indicating radio beacon, and began communicating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After consulting a Coast Guard flight surgeon, the determination was made to medivac the injured man. The C-130 crew returned to Air Station Barbers Point at 10 p.m., where the man was transferred to emergency medical services for transport to Queens Medical Center in Honolulu.